When I was coming back from my walk this morning, I realized that the poster
I have hanging on my bedroom wall really says it all. It is a Sierra Club
poster I mounted when I was in the military which says quoting Thoreau,
"In wildness is the preservation of the world."
In the light of what we saw in our final principle of Enterprise Symbiosis
stated last week (The world and its desires pass
away,but the man who does the will of God lives forever) we see that as goes wildness so goes the world. There
are really two different (and only two) paradigms that address this issue.
First is the popular paradigm of man that I call pagan naturalism. Briefly
stated, it means for everything there is a natural comprehendible explanation.
The other paradigm which I call everlasting naturalism states that there is a
reality beyond what I can experience, a reality that I cannot now fully
understand or explain. Pagan naturalism by definition, must exclude the possibility
of an everlasting reality, Everlasting naturalism states that this present
common grace reality we now see around us, is in some way born of, and is a
model from, the everlasting state.
If we were to translate the wildness statement into theological terms, for
both paradigms are really metaphysical statements, we would end up with
something like:
Pagan naturalism: If wildness goes, so goes my whole reason for
existence, my world and its evolutionary reality. I am truly alone and without
hope facing what I perceive to be an infinite cosmos. This is by far the dominate religious conviction
underling all worldly culture. I must incorporate wildness and chaos into my
culture, no matter how urbane, in order to justify my self.
Everlasting naturalism: If wildness goes, a new and better world will replace
the one now present, I will finally be in heaven or a garden of peace. This is a definite minority view that is
actually acted upon by a few, even though the vast majority of all peoples
believe that in their wishful thinking that heaven is their eternal home.
Justification of self must come from that realm.
Normally, believers in this everlasting naturalism are said to believe in
the supernatural. The word super normally inferred to mean above and not
necessarily superior. That heaven is above the earth rather than just superior,
or better. "My pie is in the sky in the sweet bye and bye!" I have
used everlasting to fit within the cosmos or model of this enterprise symbiosis
theme as well as my theme for church restoration, but have no problem with
supernatural if that makes you more comfortable. I also think the Bible teaches
that you must go up to get to heaven, but to assume that you just keep on going
is not supported by the historic text. You could just as readily go up and come
back down along side the common natural reality we now experience, but
development of that concept is well beyond this brief.
Historic Christianity has always maintained a relatively consistent belief
system in the nature of God, as the personalties of the Trinity, and a belief
in everlasting naturalism. That everlasting naturalism probably best expressed
as a realm or kingdom ruled by God beyond the veil of this world, A world of
sin and death (and hell?)
Augustine developed this concept in this world with the City of Man and the
City of God. Set in the context of the sacking of Rome by the barbarian pagans
(Arian Christians for the most part) Augustine looked at the event as a means
to spread the gospel and to enlarge the City of God at the expense of the City
of Man. This was really strange thinking in his day as it is today for
Augustine understood, because of his understanding of the nature of God, that
the rules of the City of Man (pagan naturalism) do not apply to the City of God.
What he may not have understood is that the natural law of entropy applies to
the City of God if it becomes a City of Religion, just as it does to the City
of Man, once everlasting grace is rejected by fallen man in favor of pagan
naturalism.
Following those rules of entropy, except to maintain a basis for spreading
the gospel, the miracle is not that the church is in such bad shape today 1500
years later, the miracle, similar to the present emergence of natural Israel,
is that the visible church exists at all. For this must be by sovereign grace
of God alone.
Is it any wonder then, that believers in pagan naturalism can not see a
difference between their own philosophy of life and the churches call to
religious order. Both are substantially a call to wildness. The wildness or sin
of man. In those days there was no king in the
land and everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25)
Jesus Christ came into this world and through his life death and
resurrection accomplished three things. Forever a testament to the power of
everlasting naturalism. Again we will redefine some terms as commonly used in
the church. This to a certain extent is to cause you to understand your
thinking about these basic principles, but perhaps more importantly, it is so that
you will not run off into the natural ditches, or force others off the road
into there own ditch. The Bible says the fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22)
1. Through his substitutionary atoning death
on the cross He forever justified and (positionally) sanctified those who
believe by faith alone in the grace offered through this gift alone.
2. Through is resurrection from the dead and
his later ascension into the everlasting, he through faith again has made that
gift available to all who believe. Not only in eternity but its first fruits
are available now.
3. Through his living a sinless life worthy
of that propitiatory sacrifice, providing an example, through the empowerment
of the Holy Spirit I am being (progressively) sanctified or called to live a
life of obedient faith.
Historic Christianity has held these believes along with its trinitarian
views of the Godhead essentially for her entire history. It is in the
application or appropriation of these views (especially number 3) that people
have headed for the ditches and there to build bunkers for self preservation or
religious perfectionism.
"Incoming!" Is a term utilized in the military to signify an
incoming artillery shell. Since sound travels faster than the munition many
times it can be heard before impact. The appropriate response at the shout of
"Incoming!" is to hit the foxhole, or when walking down a roadway,
the nearest ditch, covering oneself as best as possible, and praying,"O
God, save my life!" There are no atheists in foxholes. In this particular
case however, these "Incomings!" are not usual artillery shells. They
are DDD (Ditch Death Devices). They are specifically designed to bring death to
anyone or anything in the ditch, or foxhole. Any one wishing to maintain an
open mind, on the open road and praying will maintain eternal security.
"Incoming!"
That wasn't too bad, now that I have your attention I must ask the question.
If there is death in the ditches and nothing but death in the wildness beyond,
why don't we act as if we are walking down God's highway or path?
The answer of course is that it really isn't God's path or highway at all,
but US 395 somewhere near Orient. Beautiful for sure, but a man made highway
none the less. It leads from one city of man to another and the church embraces
nothing but the same values. I can whine and say that it is just those
"other" fellowships that are the problem. Safe, for I know none of
them receive this message. But the problem is really, we all exhibit the same
wildness that is exhibited in wildness preservation attempts within the world.
And if I get specific it is only in response, they are manifesting the works of
the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) I am just defending myself, my enterprise, my
ministry, or denomination.
However, if we broaden our definition of salvation to include all three
statements above, instead of just number one as usually defined, we can also
broaden our understanding of this one work with three distinct, sequential
parts. First of all number three, which is usually called the "Second
Blessing" must fit within the total finished work of Christ. The
sequential 1, 2, 3, are then best described as the total package. As a total
package they are then free to move forward in a systematic fashion. As we
learned earlier in the park in Orient, Jesus is the last Adam, and this is the
last blessing It is in that order that Philippians 2:12-16 is best understood:
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always
obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out
your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both
to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Do all things without complaining and
disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God, without
fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine
as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in
the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
In this context Paul is saying, salvation, steps one, two and three are
worked out in response to obedience, or obedient faith. As a fruit of faith,
then it is not a work but a gift of God through grace. A gift that is not
displayed in response to an altar call for an emotional experience, but a
sustainable gift of life, like breathing typified by Elohiym of Genesis 2:7.
Now as breath this is not a self induced holy act as roots of the holiness
movement would like us to believe, nor is it a infused righteousness like Roman
Catholicism and much of Protestantism of today, The righteousness of obedient
faith is then the same imputed righteousness of Christ present in all three
steps. Through faith alone we understand the cross, the resurrection and
ascension and the positionally and progressive sanctification that comes
through Christ alone. It is given to us totally because of Christ's merit
selectively outside natural causation, but in obedience to the gifts of the
Holy Spirit who's fruit we have already seen. These three blessings can be
given at one time or sequentially depending upon God's desires, or our own
shallow teachings, but they all will be given to all who diligently seek them in
the kingdom of God.
The effectiveness of God's ministry must be understood in terms of
everlasting naturalism. We must minister out of that natural order, which the
world perceives as wildness, to a world of man induced chaos, which the world
perceives in pagan naturalism, as order. This is what Augustine is really
promoting in the city of God. But we have now lost the distinction he creates.
Trained and educated in the city of man, naturally a city is a city and
wildness is wildness. But trained in the City of God, everlasting wildness
preaches to God's order, condemning natural paganism as man's religion.
We should learn from the Ministry of John the Baptist and should see this
influence and this effectiveness in John 1:19-23:
Now this is the testimony of John, when the
Jews sent priests and Levities from Jerusalem and ask him, "Who are
you?"
He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."
And they ask him, "What then? Are you Elijah?"
He said, "I am not."
"Are you the Prophet?"
And he answered, "No."
Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those
who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"
He said: "I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make
straight the way of the Lord,"' as the prophet Isaiah said."
Instead of that response, in the context of this message the response of
most leadership within the church, or other enterprise,today is more in line
with, "I am a great high priest of, and
within this great Christian nation, eternally blessed by God, bringing material
blessing to all who believe in this ministry. And all God's people said,
'Amen.'" Not much different than would be offered by the
"who sent us" in John's quotation. This is but the Messiah of the
Pharisees, not the Jesus Christ of the Bible. This is the Messiah of natural
Israel, not God's elect, his adopted children. You and your enterprise may be
part of the greatest little vineyard of any century, but until those branches
are grafted onto the eternal rootstock of everlasting naturalism, your grapes
are only suitable to be blended with high fructose sugar water so popular with
kids and parents today. Awareness and your obedient adoption, or appropriation
of these principles of naturally perceived centerless enterprise, however allows
for a fruitfulness that out strips all your perceived purpose.
Going back to Isaiah, Chapters 40 and 41 are essentially the same discourse.
These chapters truly put into context the whole idea of Enterprise Symbiosis I
have tried to illustrate within this series. Briefly, a small quotation from
this section beginning as John did in Chapter 40 verse 3 and continuing through
verse 8, shall serve as the finale and the benediction to this challenging
series.
A voice of one crying in the wilderness:
"Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make straight in the desert
A highway for our God.
Every valley shall be exalted
And every mountain and hill brought low;
The crooked places shall be made straight
And the rough places smooth;
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken"
The voice said, "Cry out!"
And he said, "What shall I cry?"
"All flesh is grass,
And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever."Amen